Cover construction for worktables



July 21, 1953 c. s. DAYTON COVER CONSTRUCTION FOR WORKTABLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 21 1949 His Abbot-figs.-

July 21, 1953 c. s. DAYTON COVER CONSTRUCTION FOR WORKTABLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21 194-- Inventor: Carl -S. Da bon,

His vAttorne sociation with a domestic ironing machine.

Patented July 21, 1953 2,646,32 COVER CONSTRUCTION FOR WOR-KTABLE-S Carl S. Dayton, Br-idgeprt,1 Conn.; assignor tor General Electric Company, ,a; corporation. 0ft.

New York Application December 21, 1949,lS 1-ial-N0:1'34;237

2 Claims.v (C1. 312 -2895 This invention relates to an improved, cover construction for work tables. It has for,a.particular object the provision of a cover construction which, when open,rprovides a convenient shelf structure at therear of the table. Myinvention is well adapted for use with, tables sup porting domestic ironing machines, and in such association has as an object-the provision of a simple; relatively inexpensive, ironing machine cabinet which when opened provides substantial shelf area on which may be laid the articles which have been pressed, or accessories such as sewing kits-and the like. Yet another object is the-provision .of an ironing machine cabinet having a the presently popular concepts of laundry and kitchen architecture. I

In presently preferred. forms of my invention I use a relatively conventional table or base structure, and afiix to said base a cover having a fixed and a movable element .50 associated that in one positionthey provide a suitable closure. and in another position provide a shelf-like arrange.- ment having a rear guard wall. Optionally the cover construction may include side wings which fold down to provide additional shelf space.

other features and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following specification, read in conjunctionwith" the accompanying drawingain which Fig. 1 is a;.p.erspective viewof one embodiment ofimyinvention' with the cover closed;:,Fig. 2, is aperspective; view of the-tapparatus. ofFig. 1 with the cover-openedand the ironing machine ready for use; Figs. 3 and41are fragmentary side elevations, in. section showing the relationship of the cover components with the cover respectively in closed and open position; Fig. 5 is a plan section taken through the end portions, only, of the cover element when in the Fig. 4 relationship; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a second form of my invention, the cover being open; Fig. '7 is a partial end elevation in section showing the cover of Fig. 6 closed; and Fig.

8 is a perspectiveview of a third form of the invention with the cover open and the side closures in shelf forming position. f

I have chosen to illustrate my invention in as- Referring initially to Figures 2 and 3, an ironing machine I of the domestic flatplate type is mounted on a table surface 2 of a suitable base structure having appropriately braced leg forming ganels 3. The ironing machine has been represeams similar: to that shown inzUnitedfitate's Patent No: 1135:2166 grantedriNovember l, 19.48,

, tozGeorge @W; .Wardwell;.v.Jr.:. In: such machine a cylinder, kiss-supportedionfthehtable top by ,a flange 5r engaging;the same; the-cylinder contains az-combinedtpiston -and=.fluid pressure generation means? forractuating aspadded buck fiz -on, which the-.--articlesz to; be pressed-are laid. Swingably carriedsrelativestopthd buck, ,as 1 by a marriage 7 pivotally mounted on the cylinder 4, is ;a.pressing;.,shoe- -8. Pursuant to the teachings of said Wardwel-l patentthe' shoe 8-has-a heated, smooth,

ironing; surface against which thebuck presses the:v articles previously laid-:-thereon. Thee operator draws thezshoe manuallyfrom its home-posi-tion of-;Fig.;. 3 ;to .theaoperatin-g,position of Fig. 4;; in. which they sho EH15 -o.ver.. the-:buck .in registry therewith: 1 Thereupon-;a.-.circuit. is'closed to err-.- ergize. the. pressuretgenerating;means to. propel the buck-:upwardly against-the shoe. Thelinkage ands spri-ng organization: schematically shown at 9 is merely to counterbalance the shoe for easy operation.- I V The cover .in-the-Fig l embodiment comprises amupper..mernber. havingHatop portion iiiand a front-wall portion ll, and-an under member having, a. rear. wall portion :1 2,; and a forwardly extending top portion.-, I 4;" The. under.;,-member is. rigidly .secured't'othetabletop forwardly of the rear edge thereofas by welding. or otherwise securing toithe tabletopachanneli member 15, de-

sirably, integral'iwithsaidj cover. member. The channel; is. suitably; shapedintermediate. its end to. accommodatethecarriage I asappears in. Fig. 4. Thezside flanges c, I 6 Istrengthen the walls. l2, 14; so that ftheunder ;coverlmember, provides securesupport fonthelupper member .when the. latter is in closed position. Thus the top wall In, suitably surfaced, may be used as a kitchen or laundry work table.

The respective cover elements are pivotally and slidably associated with each other so that the upper member may be raised from its Fig. 3 position and dropped into its Fig. 4 position for access to the table 2. To that end I suggest the employment of channel-like rails l'l securely fixed to the rear wall [2 and rollers l8 carried on brackets 20 affixed to wall It. The upper ends 2| of the rails I! may operate as stops to prevent separation of the rolls therefrom. It will be noted that the rails I! are so placed relative to the rear edge of the table 2 that the cover member 10 will be in vertical alignment with the rear wall 22 of the table structure. I utilize such dimensional relationship to employ one or more rigid brackets 23 secured to and extending upwardly from the rear wall 22 to cooperate with the rear wall structure of the under cover member to support the upper member when in its raised position. Said brackets are preferably of angle or channel formation of limited projection beyond wall 22 so as to permit the ironer cabinet to be placed close against the building wall.

The operating relationship of the upper and lower cover members clearly appears in Figs. 3 and 4. When in the Fig. 3 position, also represented by Fig. l, the rear wall l2 forms the rear wall of the cover and the top wall [9 and forward wall ll of the upper member form the top and forward closure portions of the cover. The buck and shoe of the ironer are completely enclosed. When the cover is raised to its Fig. 4 position, the upper wall [4 provides a shelf of substantial area and the wall it! forms a rear wall which serves as a guard wall for articles placed on the shelf.

As shown in Fig. 2 I may hinge the side wall panels 24 so that they may be folded down within the limits of the securement chains 25 to serve as additional shelves. Desirably the side flanges 25 of said side panels telescope over the edges of the upper and lower cover forming members to complete the enclosure. I may also hingedly aflix to the front edge of the table an apron 27 which may be supported in raised position by the brackets 28.

In the embodiment of Fig. 6 the basic table structure is similar to that previously described. The cover, however, comprises a rear member 29 securely afiixed to the table top, and a front section 39 hingedly secured to the front edge of the member 29. Preferably hinge 3| is of the piano type. The cover members have appropriate side panels 32, 33, which may align in abutting or overlapping relationship when the cover is closed, according to preference in construction. As shown in Fig. '7 the cover members collectively provide an enclosure. When the member 30 is folded back to the Fig. 6 position in which it is supported by member 29, wall portion 34 provides the auxiliary shelf area and the wall portion 35 forms the guard wall at the rear thereof.

The Fig. 8 embodiment is basically similar to that of Fig. 6 with the exception that the cover forming components 29a and 30a are not provided with fixed side members. Therefore, as in Fig. 2

I hingedly attach to the side edges of the table 2 suitable side forming panels 36 for support when in extended position by the chains or the like 31. An advantage of the constructions of Figs. 6 and 8 resides in the secure support provided by the cover members 29 and 2911., making unnecessary the use of braces such as the members 23 of Fig.

4. Thus, these cabinets may be in actual surface contact with the building wall; and in the Fig. 6 construction particularly, may be set in closely fitting relationship with adjacent kitchen or laundry cabinets.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course that I do' not Wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made; and I therefore contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination with a table, a foldable cover construction comprising a first cover member fixed to saidv table at the rear thereof and extending upwardly and forwardly, the upwardly extending portion providing a rear wall and the forwardly extending portion lying above said table surface to provide shelf space when said table is uncovered, vertically extending guide rails fixed to said upwardly extending portion, a second cover member having a wall covering the top area of said table and a wall extending angularly into contact with the table surface to provide the front closure wall of said cover, and roller members secured to said second cover member at the rear edge thereof and riding within said rails, said rollers providing pivots about which said second cover member may be swung through an angle bringing its first-named wall into alignment with said guide rails and then dropped downwardly to support said cover member in raised position with a wall portion extending upwardly from the shelf-forming portion of the first cover member to provide a guard wall at the rear thereof said construction making it necessary that said second cover member be sequentially swung and dropped rather than being concurrently swung and dropped.

2. A cover according to claim 1, in which the forwardly extending portion of the first cover member provides a support for the second cover member when the latter is in closed position.

CARL S. DAYTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

